Blues are standing by their man Mick Malthouse

CARLTON president Mark LoGiudice and captain Marc Murphy have backed embattled senior coach Mick Malthouse, despite the Blues slumping to another painful defeat on the weekend.

Sunday's loss to the previously winless Brisbane Lions followed on from the disaster against Collingwood in round five when Malt

house's team was smashed on the night he broke Jock McHale's VFL/AFL record of most games coached.

The 61-year-old's three-year contract runs out in October, and LoGiudice, who after round two said the club was in a rebuilding phase, reiterated a previous statement that the former West Coast and Magpies mentor would be coach for the "remainder of the season".

LoGiudice said players shouldn't be distracted by the attention surrounding Malthouse's future.

"I'd be disappointed if the players are concerned about their coach," he said.

"At the end of the day, Mick is contracted to coach this football club until the end of the season, and that will happen."

Murphy said the disappointing start to the season, which sees the Blues sitting between Gold Coast and Brisbane in 17th place on the ladder, was all down to the players and only they could turn things around.

"We are right behind Mick,'' he said.

"It's not Mick kicking the ball and handballing the ball the way we are at the moment. We are turning the ball over too easily.

"We are our own worst enemy at the moment.

"The fact of the matter is we are not playing consistently good enough."

Asked whether he thought Malthouse would still be in charge at Carlton next season, Murphy said: "I am not here to speculate on that.

"All I can worry about and put all my energy into at the moment is making sure the boys are working hard.

"We are not happy at where we are at.

"There are a lot of blokes who have had a hell of a lot of sleepless nights, especially last night (after the nine-point defeat to the Lions).

"Players are thinking of where we are at and where we want to get to.

"We are as disappointed as anyone at the results and we have to stick together to get things right."

The Blues host an in-form GWS Giants outfit this week, and face the prospect of being left with a 1-6 win-loss record.

"We are all with Mick and I want to see him coaching at this football club for a number of years yet,'' Murphy said. "We are going through tough times at the moment and I think it's a case of who wants to rally around to make things better.

"I certainly do and there's a lot of blokes who want too as well. We have just got to work through it together."